Brighter Than Before
by Olympian Offspring
Summary: REWRITTEN! Taylor has a somewhat normal life. Untill her parents get a divorce and her best friend moves away. The she meets her worst nightmare. His name? Nico DiAngelo.


I sat on the cold bench. My mom and step-loser were fighting again. I was at the park, no one was there though, a storm was blowing in. I wished Quinn was here. He'd at least distract me. A drop of rain hit my hand. I stood up and jogged home. When I got there, my step-loser was about to pull out. My mom was standing next to the window yelling.

"You can't leave!" she screeched.

"Watch me!" he yelled back. The car started pulling out and I had to jump into the bush so he wouldn't run over me.

"Mom! It's eating me!" I shouted as I sank lower into the bush. My mom grabbed my arms and pulled me back to my feet.

"Hungry?" she asked with damp eyes. I nodded.

"Want some soup?" I asked her.

"Why not?" she placed an arm around my shoulder.

"Are you ok Mom?"

"I'm fine Taylor, I'm fine" she nodded and opened the door. I didn't believe her though.

A few days passed and I was really glad it was the summer. Quinn was home for a few days, and for that I was glad. I heard a sharp knock on the door and waved Quinn in.

"Wanna go to the park?" He asked running a hand through his uneven blonde hair. I shrugged.

"Away we go" I muttered. "Going to the park, I'll be back before dinner" I yelled to my mom. My step-loser hadn't come back yet, and my mom was getting really depressed. Quinn raced me there, and of course he won. I sulked over to the swings.

"It's just a race Taylor. What's the big deal?" he leaned against the pole.

"Push me" I demanded, like a five-year-old. Quinn rolled his eyes but didn't complain.

"Seriously, what's wrong?" he asked in a huff as he pushed the swing higher. I stayed silent for a moment, watching my dark brown hair fly into my face.

"It's Alex" I finally said.

"What about him? Aren't you glad he's gone?"

"Yes and no"

"I'm confused" Quinn sat on the swing next to mine.

"Well, I'm glad he's gone, but my moms been sulking in her office for three days and I'm getting worried." I chewed on my bottom lip. Quinn shrugged.

"She'll get over it"

"I hope so" I muttered. Quinn and I had met in kindergarten when some girl threw sand in my eyes. I was running around, screaming (I'm a big moron, I know) and I ran straight into Quinn. We'd been friends ever since, even though he became the popular guy with natural good looks and wavy blonde hair and I was the same boring girl with dark brown hair, and a book in my hand.

"Wanna play tetherball?"

"No"

"Basketball?"

"No"

"Baseball?"

"Me with a bat? Are you sure about that one?" I smirked. He rolled his eyes, a habit of his. I slowed down a little before jumping off and landing with a _thud_ in the soft white sand. "Ow" I murmured as I turned over to my back. Quinn jumped off (landing on his feet if course) and sat next to me.

"Hi" he whispered. I looked up at the clouds, not meeting his pale blue eyes.

"Hi" I whispered back.

"Whatcha doin'?"

"Nuthin'…laying in the sand"

"I noticed"

"Yeah"

"Yeah"

"So, how was your sixth grade school year?" I flipped over to my side and propped myself up on my elbow. He kicked his feet back and sprawled out in the sand.

"Good, yours"

"Eh, not the best"

"Why?" he seemed tired. I snorted.

"Why? Because I'm the unpopular book worm, remember?"

"Your popular" he said with a yawn.

"Yeah right"

"No you-" and he fell asleep. One of the great things about Quinn, he fell asleep easily and really fast. Before I knew it he was doing his weird little mini snore. I rolled my eyes and laid back down.

"Yeah, whatever you say buddy" I dug around in the sand until I found a small twig. I poked the small hole in my favorite grey basketball shorts. A cold breeze swept through the park, lifting sand onto Quinn's stomach. I really wished I had brought my big maroon sweater to go over my dark blue tank top. Groaning, I sat up and shook Quinn awake.

"Wha!" he sat upright with a jolt.

"You fell asleep" I muttered tracing a circle around my knee cap.

"Oh sorry"

"Wanna come over for dinner?"

"What are you guys having?"

"Chicken and rice"

"Yum"

"So I'll take that as a yes?"

"Heck yeah! Let's go" Quinn jumped up and pulled my along with him. Another thing about Quinn, he was always hungry. We raced back to my house and he actually kept pace with me. I veered towards the right of the drive way but at the last minute, rammed into Quinn and sent him flying into the bush. He crawled out with leaves in his hair and his blue eyes dark with anger. I just stood there laughing.

"I'll get you back Taylor Burns"

"Bring it Quinn Cadwell" I stuck my tongue out at him. He rolled his eyes.

"Not right now, later when your least expecting it"

"Now I'll be expecting it"

"Oh just you wait" He fixed an evil look on his face. I raised my eyebrows and walked into the house. The first thing that hit me was the smell of burning noodles. The second thing was the sound of crying. I walked into the dining room, Quinn trailing behind me, to find my mom sitting there, crying, holding a open manila envelope.

"Mom?" I asked stepping back and running into Quinn's outstretched hands. She looked up and started wiping her eyes.

"Uh, yeah? Dinner, right. It's almost done" she said rushing to the stove and stirring the noodles. I walked around the table and glanced at the papers. With wide eyes, I pushed Quinn down the hall and to my room where I promptly shut the door and locked it.

"What is it?" he demanded.

"Papers, from Alex"

"And?"

"They're divorce papers Quinn, my mom is never gonna get over this" I ran a hand through my hair.

"It'll be ok Taylor"

"No it won't! You don't know! Your parents have always been married, this is my moms second divorce, she's falling apart!" I started pacing.

"Kids dinner!" my mom yelled. I walked out to see Tyler sitting in his usual spot. I sat on his right and Quinn sat on his left. My mom set the plates in front of us then her own.

"Thanks mom" I muttered. Mom hand gotten rid of the papers, at least for now.

"No problems sweetie" she whispered back, then she focused on Andy and myself. "Kids we need to talk"

" 'Bout?" Andy raised his eyebrows. Ah, my typical eight-year-old brother.

"Your father"

"He's not our father" I shoveled spoon full of pasta into my mouth.

"Yes well, were getting a divorce" She picked up her fork in a nonchalant manner, like her getting a divorce was no big deal. Andy dropped his fork.

"What?"

* * *

Ok here's chapter one of the rewritten 'Brighter Than Before'


End file.
